


A Strong Foundation

by PatchworkIdeas



Series: Raffle Prizes [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pillow & Blanket Forts, good communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23461603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkIdeas/pseuds/PatchworkIdeas
Summary: Their relationship might be changing, but there is always room for old, well-loved rituals.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Series: Raffle Prizes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1687792
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	A Strong Foundation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LegolasLovely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegolasLovely/gifts).



Fili’s lips were soft and warm and incredible.  
Kili never felt anything like them before; never felt anything like it at all really. Like all the happiness finally bubbled over, a fountain of joy surging through his veins. Like he wanted to kiss him again and again and again.

They’d finally, finally kissed.

It had been so long in coming.  
And it was still so hard to believe. Kili cuddled his pillow close - in lieu of his brother, who was sleeping in the room next door. Kili had wanted to pull him close, keep him right there in his room the whole night, explore this new world opening up before them.

Fili had chuckled, held him close, kissed him again, even as he said he shouldn’t, that they should take things slow.  
Eventually, he had left, noticeably reluctant, but still!

...He hadn’t been wrong. Mom had come home not much later, and her catching Fili coming out of Kili’s room like that, lips swollen, grinning, eyes wide…  
It probably would have been even worse if he hadn’t come out at all.

Fili might be right about them going slow about it, but Kili didn’t have to like it. He wasn’t some blushing school girl virgin after all.  
Well, college was one type of school, sure, but he had kissed other’s before!

...He just… hadn’t liked it. Not like he liked kissing Fili. Fili was comfort and support and love. Fili was Fili.  
The other girls and guys just thought he was cute, or an easy lay. Naive.  
Fili didn’t. Took him seriously even when he got overenthusiastic or angry or talked for hours. Fili remembered.

He probably remembered that night, when Kili came home in tears, yet another relationship torn apart because Kili wasn’t moving as fast as they liked. How was he supposed to feel safe with them after just a few weeks? Safe enough for that?

...Ok. So maybe the blushing virgin wasn’t so far off. And maybe Fili had plenty of reasons to go slow, was trying to be considerate. He said he wanted to build something that would last, that they would both be happy with. The warmth multiplied, spread out from his stomach through his limbs, and Kili giggled into his pillow, curling himself around it and rolling around on his bed like a cat on catnip.

Fili wanted him comfortable. Fili wanted him happy. Fili wanted this to last.

Fili loved him.

_Fili loved him!_

He heard a soft chuckle on the other side of the wall, his own joy probably having carried through the thin walls. He blushed, at first mortified, but then laughed out loud. Let Fili hear. Let him hear how happy he made Kili. Fili wasn’t some stranger he was crushing on, wasn’t anyone he would have to be cool in front of. Fili knew him, down to the tiniest detail, just like he knew Fili. Why shouldn’t he share his happiness with him?

The knock distracted him, reminded him sharply that his mother had come back already. He tried to sober up, but the grin wouldn’t leave his face, no matter how hard he tried. So he just called her in instead.

“My, someone’s happy today!” She poked her head into his room, but oddly didn’t come in further, like she usually did. “I would love to hear more about it, but I just got a call from Frerin - their babysitter has gotten sick and they need some help. Do you want to come or will you be alright on your own for the evening?” 

Kili declined, but jumped up to hug her, just because. He still felt so happy he could burst. His mother laughed and hugged him back, kissed his cheeks - which for once he didn’t even whine about - and told him she would love to know the reason for his good mood tomorrow. He could hear the murmur of voices next door for a bit, but only one set of steps going down the stairs.

Picking up as many blankets and pillows as he could carry, he made his way over to Fili’s room, knocking with his foot in an attempt to keep the soft tower stable.

“...Kili?” Oh, how he would have loved to see Fili’s face right now! But it would be so much easier to convince him this way! He blindly marched forward, searching for Fili’s bed through memory alone. Luckily Fili always kept his room meticulously clean.

“We are having a sleep over. Preferably with a blanket fort. And lots and lots of cuddling!” he announced once he had divested his tower on the bed. Fili blinked at him, pressing his lips together in a way that clearly meant he was trying very hard not to laugh. Silly. Today was a very, very good day and they ought to spend it laughing together, instead of separated by a stupid wall. When had they ever cared about conventions before?

“… Just cuddling?” Fili asked, trying to be the responsible one again, trying to look out for Kili. Kili knew exactly what he wanted. But he wanted to make sure that Fili felt as comfortable and happy as Kili did, and that meant-

“Just cuddling. ...And maybe, maaaybe a few kisses. If you like. Nothing more, promise.” Kili closed the distance, letting just a hint of his uncertainty bleed through, “I don’t want to be alone when I could be with you. You are my best friend, the person I come to when I feel so happy I just overflow with it. I don’t want that to change.”

Fili’s eyes went soft and warm, inviting him in for the one kind of kiss they had exchanged since they could remember, foreheads together, breath mingling.

“I don’t want that to change either. I love you Kili. I just want to be sure I don’t ever do anything that makes you uncomfortable, ok? I don’t think I could bear losing you. That’s a big part of why I waited so long...”

They separated, and sorted the bedding in a familiar, if by now a bit rusty, ritual. 

“So it wasn’t just because you hadn’t realized before? When did you realize anyway?”

There was something calming, soothing, and so, so comfortable about building a nest for each other again. Building on years of experience and memories, knowing just what worked. Kili let himself dream about maybe doing this big someday, with a home of their own they would share. But the silence stretched just a beat too long, even for Fili, who always thought things through, and Kili gave his brother his full attention again. 

Fili bit his lips, but upon Kili’s prompting stare admitted: “Do you remember the last guy, when you came home in tears? I was just so angry. All these people had the opportunity to be with the best person this world has to offer, and instead they _hurt_ you. I don’t get how anyone can be so stupid. And I just… I caught myself thinking that I would treat you right. That I could do so much better if I only got a _chance._ I was up the whole night. Figured out I was jealous. I stand by my words - none of them were good enough for you. And maybe I’m not either. But that’s your call to make. And it wouldn’t have been fair not to tell you, once I knew.”

Kili let the pillow fall, and kissed his brother and boyfriend silly.  
“You are more than good enough, Fili. You are perfect, and I love you, too.”

They stayed like that for a while, trading little pecks and gentle touches, before Fili reminded him of their fort. While it wasn’t very late, Kili’s over-the-top designs took a bit of time. They squabbled about it for a while, Kili insisting that his designs were perfect and stable and as a budding architect he knew quite well what he was doing, thank you, while Fili insisted that didn’t make them any less unnecessarily grand. They ended up jumping from topic to topic in a well known and perfected dance.

There was no uncertainty here. No missed steps or worries. They were still themselves. Just better together. They always had been.

Eventually, comfortable in the blanket fort, facing each other in the low light making it’s way into their nest, Fili admitted defeat and agreed that the fort had been a full success and well worth the effort.  
But there was something else, a tiny crease above his brows giving him away, so Kili waited patiently until Fili found his words.

“When did you first realize? How long have we been dancing around each other?”

Kili hummed, letting himself think about the answer for once. If it wasn’t important to Fili, he wouldn’t have hesitated to ask. But really, there was only one answer that wouldn’t be a lie.

“I think we have been dancing around each other for a while now, but not… consciously? I hadn’t really thought about it before, to be honest, you never seemed interested in romance and, well, I’m not exactly supposed to look for it with my brother after all...” He caught Fili’s eyes widening, fear and worry raising shutters, and hastily continued: “But it feels _right_ , in a way it’s never felt before. With anyone. I don’t think I could go back now that I know. I always saw you in my life and future. The thought you wouldn’t be had never even crossed my mind. I just… hadn’t realized we could have both? Could be best friends, brothers and lovers in one? But why shouldn’t we? I have always loved you Fili. I just hadn’t realized how much.”

Kili saw Fili breath deep, closing his eyes and swallowing, probably feeling guilty for some reason or another. Fili was good at that. Always had to take responsibility for everything. Kili sighed and started working his magic again.

“Listen to me. Please. I’m a grown adult and I know what I want. Trust me, ok?” He cuddled up to Fili, somewhat perplexed to find himself bigger than his brother, even though he had been for years. It really had been too long since they last built a fort, or even shared a bed. Nevertheless, the unintended head bump broke the somber mood.

Fili rubbed his aching chin, but started chuckling soon enough. “You always were hard-headed. Just promise you’ll tell me if you are ever uncomfortable or we do something you aren’t sure about. I don’t want to be one of the assholes who hurt you or pressure you, alright?”

“Promise. But you won’t be. Never could be. You care too much about me for that. And if we do ever end up accidentally hurting each other we’ll talk about it and figure it out. That’s part of relationships, too, after all, isn’t it? Lots of love and talking and working together. We got this.”

They found a new way to fit together, safely cocooned inside a cozy home of their own making. They would probably have to figure out quite a few new things now. There was more to their evolving relationship after all than wonderful kisses and sweet declarations. But all the bumps in the road would be worth it. And their foundation only stronger, for all the time they spent building it.


End file.
